Perusing the Bookshelf of the Undulating Curve of Shifting Expectations!

The Curve isn’t about how good something is; it’s about how good you expect it to be. For example, Bill Buford’s worthy—and loudly praised—Heat is now poised to disappoint millions of overly expectant readers. Better that fate, though, than the one facing The Devil Wears Prada: Fond reviews for the movie have sent new readers to the novel, which, ironically, reviewers warn isn’t nearly as good as the film. Meanwhile, Owen Wilson, like Dupree, is wearing out his welcome; Kiki and Herb return to (nervous) expectations; and how can anyone not be psyched for Walken and Streep in Mother Courage in Central Park?